January-February 1998

The End Is Here... Again

by Keith Stump

As the year 2000 nears, hawkers of end-time prophecy are exploiting popular curiosity about the future. Here's how you can avoid catching "millennial fever!"

As the calendar edges toward the year 2000, the future is on people's minds more than ever before.

There's nothing wrong, of course, with stopping to take stock of where we are, and speculating about what lies ahead. A millennial transition is a big event, a natural time for reflection.

But for many people today's preoccupation with the future is more than mere curiosity. It has become a cause for uneasiness, anxiety-even fear.

And that's because we're hearing a lot these days about prophecy -- about ancient predictions of tribulation and disaster said to be for our day, for the years just ahead.

Big Business

Frenzy and fervor over prophecy is markedly on the rise. It's being called "millennial fever," "armageddon anxiety" and "last days madness." And the experts say it will get worse.

Predicting the future is big business. Books about the predictive prophecy of the Bible are pouring from the presses, many warning that the Great Tribulation and the second coming of Jesus are right around the corner. And if you have been watching Christian television, chances are you've already heard plenty of speculative discussions about end-time prophecy and the year 2000.

This is nothing new, of course. Warnings of the imminent end of the world have been raised in every generation. History is full of examples of groups and individuals who have preached that the end was near.

And they've all been wrong.

Yet as the new millennium rushes upon us, some are setting dates and predicting specific geopolitical events according to a "prophetic timetable" derived from their study of Bible prophecy.

The fact that all persons through history who have predicted the imminent end

of the age have been wrong is not deterring today's prophecy preachers. "This time" it will be different. "This time" it will happen.

Or so we're told.

Prediction Addiction

Many Christians are not only becoming caught up in end-time speculation, they're becoming preoccupied -- even obsessed -- with prophecy.

Some Christian psychologists call it "prediction addiction." And, they say, it can be a prescription for spiritual disaster.

To some people, prophecy is the most fascinating subject the Bible has to offer. It's so easy to get carried away with prophecy -- to get excited about seven-headed beasts, mysterious seals, mystic numbers and giant red dragons. Add to this the attractive idea that one can be among the "elect" who alone know how God's plan is being worked out, and you have a heady mixture indeed.

And not only is it an intoxicating blend, it's a potentially poisonous one as well!

Recurring Pattern

Obsession with prophecy is not new. Its roots lie deep in the past. Over and over again through

history, sincere but misguided Christians have repeatedly misunderstood the nature and intent of the predictive prophecies of the Bible. (See recommended reading and viewing at end of article.)

The end of the first millennium A.D. provides a good example.

With the approach of the year 1000 -- regarded by many as the millennial anniversary of Jesus' birth or first coming -- the idea evolved that it would be the logical time for his second coming.

An ominous sense of foreboding settled upon Europe in the final years of the 10th century. Some took extreme measures -- giving away all their possessions as acts of charity and penance, abandoning their jobs, letting their fields lie fallow, neglecting their animals, and making no plans for the future.

As the clock ticked down to that final moment, many braced for the end.

Of course, it didn't come.

Many Christians experienced a traumatic crisis of faith. Some even abandoned Christianity altogether. Yet subsequent generations would make the same mistake -- over and over again.

Painful Lesson

Perhaps the definitive example of the perils of date setting and prophetic obsession is the story of the Millerites of early 19th-century America.

Based on his study of the book of Daniel, a Baptist preacher named William Miller predicted that Christ's return would occur on Oct. 22, 1844. Tens of thousands of people awaited the day, disposing of their property in many cases. They were sincere men and women, dedicated to God. They took their Bibles seriously. But they were seriously misguided.

On the appointed day, true believers gathered to greet the returning Christ.

But the day -- then the night -- passed without incident. And in the cold light of morning, the faithful disbanded amid much weeping and great disappointment.

Many Millerites became bitter and disillusioned. Their whole belief system had come crashing down! Others went through a period of deep anguish, questioning their faith and belief in God.

The psychological and spiritual harm caused by the failure of end-time speculations cannot be overstated. Trauma, disillusionment and destroyed faith have left untold numbers shipwrecked and foundering over the centuries. The damage is extremely difficult to repair.

Yet today's end-time prophecy preachers blunder heedlessly ahead, seemingly oblivious to history's painful lessons. They are as eager to predict the future as they are eager to forget their failed past predictions.

Diverse Views

Since the beginning of the church, Christians have differed as to how Bible prophecy should be understood. Because of the rich and often obscure symbolism of prophecy, interpretive approaches have differed radically. (See box "The Millennium -- Three Views" for one example.)

Often Christians have no idea there are other ways to understand prophecy than the views of their own particular denomination.

Many today expect fulfillment of prophecies via actual persons and events in the future. They fail to realize that others believe the same prophecies were fulfilled in the past. Still others regard prophecy as primarily allegorical or symbolic, portraying the age-old struggle between good and evil and the ultimate triumph of God. These divergent views have existed since the early days of Christianity.

Hundreds of books have been written offering biblical support for each of these various approaches. And these diverse perspectives among responsible biblical scholars should counsel us against holding dogmatic views. A tolerant, charitable and openminded approach toward those who espouse other positions would seem to be indicated.

Yet, prophecy preachers continue to push their own rigid prophetic scenarios, proclaiming with ever-increasing confidence their pet theories and speculations. Some are even labeling Christians with other views as "deceived" or "apostate."

The Only Antidote

For decades Plain Truth unwit-tingly clouded the gospel message with sensational and unfounded prophetic speculations. By God's grace, we are filled with a desire for others to learn from our mistakes rather than repeat them. Experience has shown us that an overemphasis on prophecy can distort the gospel of Jesus Christ. It can, in fact, become another gospel!

We want our readers to understand that an obsession with prophecy can become an obstacle to grasping what Jesus expects of us as we wait for his coming -- living a Christlike life of sacrifice, service and generosity, and being agents of change in the world here and now!

The Most Important Message

In the final analysis, the fundamental truths of Bible prophecy don't depend on adopting a particular interpretive point of view. They are available to anyone who will read prophecy for its overall message and resist the urge to become overly enmeshed in details.

Whether the Bible's prophetic images and symbols are intended as actual forecasts of events yet to occur, or are symbolic descriptions of the ultimate victory of God over the forces of evil, prophecy makes a powerful overall statement concerning the triumph of God through Jesus Christ -- and the glorious inheritance of those who remain faithful to God through the trials and corruption of this world.

The most important message of prophecy is not the precise decoding of symbolic beasts and horns. That's missing the point. The critical message is that God has not forgotten his people and that he will, in due time, intervene.

Preaching the gospel -- not obsessing on a speculative chrono-logical scheme -- is the great commission of the church. So we urge our readers to keep prophecy in perspective and resist getting caught up in end-time speculations.

Seriously reflect on the clear words of Jesus himself:

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him" (Matthew 24:36, 44).

The expectation of Jesus' return in the year 2000 or 2001 would thus almost seem to rule out those dates.

The ultimate message of prophecy isn't gloom and doom anyway. There's a bright future ahead! For believers, there will be an eternity of perfection and glory with God. The eternal age is much more glorious than the millennial age, no matter how the millennium is understood.

Confidence in the Future

Last days or not, now is not the time for fear and despair! Jesus gives Christians confidence about the future -- sure and certain hope! Faith in God's sovereignty over all things is the decisive theme and emphasis of all prophecy.

So let Bible prophecy guide you to faithful living -- not to empty speculation. Knowing when Jesus returns is not the issue. Knowing he will return is.

And in the final analysis, understanding that fact is the only antidote to today's spreading plague of "millennial madness." 

Recommended Reading

• Doomsday: The End of the World -- A View Through Time, by Russell Chandler. Servant Publications, 1993.
• The Millennial Maze: Sorting Out Evangelical Options, by Stanley J. Grenz. InterVarsity, 1992.
• Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church, by Gary DeMar. American Vision, 1997.
• The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views, by Robert G. Clouse. InterVarsity, 1977.

Recommended Viewing

• Millennial Madness, Plain Truth Ministries, 1998.

The New Millennium: A.D. 2000 or 2001? Purists object to the popular idea that the new millennium will start with the year 2000. They say it really begins on Jan. 1, 2001. Technically, they're right. Why? Because there was no "Year Zero." The world went from 1 B.C. directly to A.D. 1. So 2,000 years later is A.D. 2001, not A.D. 2000. But the purists have already lost the battle. The bottom line is that the whole B.C.-A.D. system of chronology is an artificial, man-made contrivance anyway. There is nothing inherently sacred or biblical about it, nor is it tied to any astronomical event. To most people, it's the change in the digit -- from 1 to 2 -- that is psychologically significant. Thus, to nearly everyone, the year 2000 -- not 2001 -- will represent the millennial transition -- that magic moment when the chronological odometer comes up with three zeros.

The Millennium - 3 Views The word millennium comes from the Latin word mille, meaning "thousand." It can refer to any thousand-year period. The interval between 2000 B.C. and 1000 B.C., for example, was a millennium. Many today are talking about the new millennium beginning in the year A.D. 2000 (or 2001-see box). But the word Millennium -- often with a capital M -- is also used in a theological sense. Though the word itself doesn't appear in the Bible, the term is often used to designate a period of time mentioned in Revelation 20:2-3. That passage says that Satan will be chained and thrown into an abyss for a thousand years. Because Revelation is not an easy book to interpret, Christians have long differed as to the meaning of this "thousand years." Is it 1,000 actual years, or should it be interpreted metaphorically? Though various views have predominated at different times, Christianity has never taken an official stand on the question. Three main views exist concerning the millennium, each with subvarieties too numerous to explore here. Premillennialists believe Christ's second coming will occur before the Millennium. Christ's return will inaugurate 1,000 actual years of peace and righteousness, as he and the resurrected saints reign on earth. Postmillennialists expect the church to usher in the Millennium gradually over time. The world will eventually be Christianized, resulting in an age of peace and righteousness -- the Millennium. The "thousand years" thus represent the spiritual victory of the gospel over the forces of evil in our present world. Christ's second coming will occur after that spiritual victory is won. Amillennialists believe the Millennium is symbolic rather than literal. It is not a literal period of 1,000 years, but a figure of speech referring to the Church Age -- the years between Christ's resurrection and second coming -- during which Christ is ruling from heaven. Thus in this view, we are currently in the Millennium awaiting the return of Jesus to inaugurate the new heavens and new earth of the eternal Kingdom.

End of 6,000 Years? Some Bible students believe that Adam and Eve were created around 4000 B.C. Thus A.D. 2000-give or take a few years-will mark the end of 6,000 years of human history. They feel this is significant because of Peter's statement that "with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day" (2 Peter 3:8). They reason that since a thousand years are like a day to God, six thousand years are like six days. In the creation week of Genesis 1, six days of creation were followed by the seventh day, the day God rested. Thus, they conclude, 6,000 years of human history -- six "days" of a thousand years each -- will be followed by a thousand-year "day" of rest for humanity, the Millennium. This 7,000-year concept, however, is nowhere explicitly stated in the Bible. It was, in fact, denounced by some of the early church fathers (the theologians of the church during the first several centuries after Christ). Most theologians understand 2 Peter 3:8 to say simply that God does not view time as humans do. Nothing more should be read into it, they believe. It is certainly no basis for a dogmatic teaching about the end of the age. The 4000 B.C. date for Adam and Eve is itself regarded as highly uncertain. Most scholars feel that no precise chronological scheme is intended or supported by the biblical text.

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